DoubleType Font Editor

Community Forums/Developer Stations/DoubleType Font Editor

jfk EO-11110(Posted 2008) [#1]
The only TTF font editor that I have found in freeware areas is: "DoubleType". It's a JAR executable, requiring Java Runtimes (seems like XP has it preinstalled). The tools is really capable of exporting TTF files that can be viewed with the systems font viewer. Ok, everything fine so far.

Too bad these fonts ain't listed in apps and utilities (eg. Paint app, or write). I tried both, to copy the files to the font folder, as well as to use the "install new fonts" option in the font folder, neither worked. What am I doing wrong?


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2008) [#2]
Update:
I just used to read somewhere, there is a small ttf editor already in windows (2000,XP): eudcedit.exe. Tho it requires admin mode to run.

(BTW I also tested FontForge, which is GPL, but it's such a mess, as usual with WIP from SourceForge, and requires CygWin installation, that failed to install properly (at least here), and caused to fail FontForge as well...and forced manual uninstallation of various remains...)

EDIT: just tested eudcedit.exe. I don't know, probably I'm only too stupid, but I can't get any TTF font files out of this MS tool. Although there is a comfortable amount of drawing tools, all I managed to export is a TTE font (that is listed as "Name (Userdefined Font)" in the fonts table utility, but cannot be used in Apps like eg. Blitz3D). It's even worse, with eudcedit every saving operation feels a bit like "hell am I overwriting system fonts or things now?"

Any other ideas for a free TTF font editor? Doesn't have to be complex. I am really surprised there is only such a few of them.


jfk EO-11110(Posted 2008) [#3]
Just to keep the tradition alive this monologue continues.

Current conclusion is:

DoubleType (free)

is discontinued and also limited in efficiency and tools. Furthermore the exported TTF fonts can't be used by most Win apps (Blitz3D, OpenOffice...)

FontForge (free)
Claims to be the best free font editor out there, in fact it's 100% PITA, setting this baby up is extremly complicated (IMHO), you need to install CygWin to provide a linux-like basement for the app. Of course, you need to read the installation guide of FOntForge first, in order to download the right 12 or so additional compenents of CygWin, byside the default libs. The installation guide takes several pages of instructions, including some linux commands that you have to enter somewhere in one of multiple linux shells (where the commands differ depending on the shell etc.). I tried to install it two times, no success, it simply sucks.

FontCreator (30Day Trial, Shareware, about 80$)

This is really cool. Easy install, intuitive interface. No crappy java or other half-interpretated snail-code, but a win32 exe (I know some will say Java is fast, but actually it isn't). Comes with proper uninstall (tho no need for this so far).